Aggro Rock

Gavin VerheyWednesday, February 29, 2012

The Magic Online Modern PTQs are continuing to unveil exciting new archetypes each week, and in the wake of Grand Prix Lincoln, players have been hungry to see what the next big deck will be. In the most recent Magic Online PTQ, Jun.I brought an exciting mix of new and old cards to create an Aggro Rock deck that cruised all the way into the Top 8. The core of an Aggro Rock deck is solid creatures backed up by effective disruption, and Modern is full of plenty of cards that fall into both of those categories.

Dark Confidant and Tarmogoyf are Modern powerhouses that fit perfectly into this strategy, but alongside them is a creature you might not have expected: Strangleroot Geist! This Dark Ascension newcomer has joined the Modern fray, zooming into combat on turn two and providing a nice compliment to Kitchen Finks against beatdown decks.

To top it off, the deck's disruption is some of the best the format can offer. Not only can this deck beat down with efficient cheap creatures, but Inquisition of Kozilek and Thoughtseize also can pluck away any worrisome removal spells—or combo pieces—that would cause the deck trouble.

If anything slips through the cracks, Smother, Maelstrom Pulse, and Profane Command should be enough to clean up the board. The combination of hand disruption and removal allows you to become the aggressive or defensive player, depending on the matchup.

Take a look at the decklist below, and stay tuned to the Modern PTQ results to follow the exciting, evolving state of Modern!